Changing careers as a working mum from teacher to tech
how CFG Ambassador and mother Katie switched careers from teaching to data with the CFGdegree
Code First Girls Ambassador Katie shares her journey from switching from being a Primary Teacher to a Database Engineer @ Zopa after completing CFG’s MOOCs, Kickstarter Classes, and CFGdegree. Katie also shared how her transferable skills from teaching allowed her to quickly progress at Zopa. To find out more about Katie’s journey, connect with her on LinkedIn!
THE HOT SIX QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS!
Favourite coding language? (if you have one!)
SQL
What is your choice of beverage for coding?
Water with ice
Desk set up – RGB, Minimal or my aesthetic
Minimal
If you had to only use one for life: Laptop or PC?
Laptop- more portable
Are you most productive in the morning or evening/night?
Mornings, for sure!
What do you listen to whilst you code and where? Spotify, radio, vinyl or fave CD?
If I’m really concentrating on something, I tend to work in silence. But I will occasionally listen to a true crime podcast while working!
Hi Katie! Please tell us a bit about yourself, how you got into tech, and why you wanted to be a CFG Ambassador!
Hello there! I’m based in the East Midlands, sharing my home with my wonderful family – including my daughter, husband, and our newest addition, a playful puppy. Before diving into the world of tech, I was a classroom maths teacher at a secondary school. I taught Year 7 up to Sixth Form. I now work as a Database Engineer at a challenger bank, Zopa. I have been in my role now for two years.
Becoming a CFG Ambassador was a no-brainer for me. The impact CFG has had on my life, and that of my family, has been nothing short of transformative. Their courses provided me, not only with the technical skills but also the confidence to pursue a career in tech. Now, I’m passionate about paying it forward and encouraging more women to take that same leap of faith I did.
Can you please share how you got into tech, what were your influences along the way, and what impact did they have on your career?
After completing my maternity leave with my daughter in 2020 (what a year!), I returned to teaching and felt like I had to choose between being a good mum or being a good teacher. And that’s when I decided to explore different careers that would suit our family life. My journey with CFG started in the summer of 2021 when I took the leap and completed one of their evening Coding Kickstarter Classes: ‘Introduction to Python’. I loved it and quickly realised coding/tech of some shape or form was where I wanted my career to head.
I was fortunate that a couple of lovely, supportive instructors who work at Zopa, taught this Python course – I was presented at the end of the course with the encouragement to apply to the CFGdegree because Zopa would be sponsoring five places on it. Again, I took a leap and applied to the CFGdegree, and to my surprise, I got offered a place on the Data stream. I feel incredibly lucky to have taken this path into tech and grateful to CFG for facilitating this transition.
I returned to teaching and felt like I had to choose between being a good mum or being a good teacher. And that’s when I decided to explore different careers that would suit our family life.
Are there any key differences you have felt since starting your new career/since your career change?
I would say three main differences have had the biggest impact on my life and well-being.
1) Challenge – my role challenges me every day to learn more, and because tech is ever-changing, I don’t see this ever stopping!
2) Flexibility – I am able to drop my daughter off at nursery and able to walk the puppy in the daytime. These two simple things weren’t possible as a teacher!
3) Remuneration– my salary as a Database Engineer is higher than my old teacher’s salary, I am also eligible for yearly bonuses!
Were there any skills or experiences from teaching that you found surprisingly applicable to your current role/tech?
Teachers have so many valuable transferable skills. In particular: problem-solving, attention to detail, working to tight deadlines, being super efficient, presenting, and organisation. These skills have paid dividends in my tech role and I think contributed towards my quick promotion from Junior Database Engineer to Database Engineer within nine months of starting at Zopa.
Teachers have so many valuable transferable skills. These skills have paid dividends in my tech role and I think contributed towards my quick promotion from Junior Database Engineer to Database Engineer within nine months of starting at Zopa.
What advice would you give to someone from a non-technical background who is considering a career switch to tech?
For me, I realised I wanted to pursue a career in tech AFTER starting a Coding Kickstarter course: so my advice would be to simply have a go at one! Read their descriptions, see which one you think aligns with your skills most, and just have a go. What is the worst that can happen?
Thank you Katie!
Thank you to Katie for sharing her insights navigating her career switch from teaching to tech! Click here for more Code First Girls community stories and blogs! 🤩
Thinking of jumpstarting your career in tech? Find out about our MOOCs and Kickstarter Classes! Find out more about the CFGdegree here!
